To keep the brain cells exercised over the Christmas period, here are some tax related questions. I hope you all have a good Christmas break and wish you a healthy and prosperous New Year.
History lessons
1. In which year did married women start to have to complete their own returns (having been previously considered as ‘chattels’ of their husbands?)
2. Which tax was introduced in 1973 as a simple tax?
3. Who said “No man in this country is under the smallest obligation, moral or other, so to arrange his legal relations to his business or to his property as to enable the Inland Revenue to put the largest possible shovel into his stores.” When was this?
Weird but true:
4. Which newscaster said she was prepared to read the news naked and why?
5. Why does it matter whether a Jaffa Cake is a cake or a biscuit?
6. In what circumstances can you pay more than 100% tax on your income in 2012-13? (NB excluding indirect taxes like VAT/council tax/fuel duty etc)
7. What is the name of the tax case that might help you claim tax relief on training costs in certain circumstances?
8. What is the point of claiming child benefit for a new baby and then immediately saying you don’t want the benefit?
9. If your parents gave you money for a deposit on your house in recent years – and in x years time, they move in with you – what unexpected tax effect will that have (assuming rules are unchanged in x years)